Tearing-machine.



T. ALLATT.

TEARlNGMACHINE.

- APPLlCAT|0N FILED mum. 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Apr. 25

' T. ALLATT.

TE AR|NG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IAN.18.1915.

Patented Apr. 25 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

mwm

T. ALLATT.

TEABlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1915.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- li AM 5] wow W601 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGIZAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. q

T. ALLATT.

TEARING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mus. x915.

Patented Apr. 25,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THOMAS ALLATT, OF WEST NEW BRIGHTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HERRMANN, AUKAM & 00., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

TEARING-MACHINE.

Application filed January 18, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS ALLATT, a British subject, and a resident of West New Brighton, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Tearing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for tearing cloth; particularly for tearing cloth transversely or parallel with the woof or filling threads. It is particularly designed for use in the making of handkerchiefs and other small piece goods from long strips of fabric.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, it is preferable to tear certain kinds of cloth, particularly linen cloth, rather than to cut it, for the woof threads are not always exactly at right angles to the warp threads, and if such fabric be cut,the cut may cross and sever some of the woof threads, whereas if the fabric be torn, the tear will follow the woof threads without crossing them. Heretofore, in the production of handkerchiefs and the like from linen fabric, it has been customary to tear such fabric transversely by hand, because of the above stated advantage of tearing, distinguished from cutting, and this hand-tearing has been a slow and laborious operation. By the machine herein illustrated and described the tearing is done automatically, and at a speed such that one machine can do the work of a very great many hand operatives.

My invention consists in mechanical means for tearing a strip of fabric transversely, and at regular or spaced intervals; in means for regulating the distance between successive points of tear; in the novel tearing mechanism herein described; and in va rious other features, as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide automatic means for tearing cloth transversely and at spaced intervals; to provide means for adjusting the distance between successive points of tear; to provide efiicient tearing means; and generally to produce a machine which is simple, easily operated, and capable of high speed operation.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, I916.

Serial No. 2,797.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In said drawings: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the machine, the greater portion of the inclosing casing of the machine being broken away. Figs. 1 and 1 are diagrammatic views illustrative of the manner of operation of the machine, Fig. 1 showing the tearing members in positions occupied at the beginning of a tear, and Fig. l showing the same parts at an intermediate stage of the tear. Fig. 2 shows a top view of the machine. Fig. 3 shows a front view of the machine, the view being taken from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows another side view of the machine, the side shown being that at the top of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a face view of the rotary cam actuating the grip ping fingers of one tearing member, and showing also a portion of the cooperating follower.

In this machine, the tearing is done by two rotary members, the proximate faces of which move in the same direction, but about different centers. Each of these members is provided with grippers which hold, for a time, that edge of the fabric at which the tear is initiated, the fingers being opened automatically at suitable times in the operation of the machine, to release the fabric, and then being closed again to grip a new portion of the fabric. At the time of initiation of the tear a gripping finger of one of these rotary members gripsthe edge of the fabric very close to the point at which a gripping finger of the other rotary member grips that edge of the fabric. At this time, the two fingers mentioned are at about the point of nearest approach to each other, and further motion of the rotary members of course separates the gripping fingers, the cloth being pulled in different directions and, therefore, being torn. When a strip of fabric to be torn is of considerable width, I prefer to employ, in addition to the tearing members mentioned, a further member of the nature of a strikerwhich, in'its operation, strikes the fabric where the tear is taking place, so extending the tear trans versely of the fabric.

In Figs. 1 and 1 numerals 1 and 2 designate the two rotary tearing members mentioned; 3. designates. a gripping finger of member 1, and 4L designates a gripping finger of member 2. In Fig. 1 fingers 3 and 4 are shown close together, and gripping the edge of the fabric '5 at points close together. In Fig. 1 the rotation of members 1 and 2 has progressed to such extent that the fingers 3 and 4: have separated considerably, the fabric, of necessity, having been torn transversely to a considerable extent.

It will be understood that a tear started in the fabric tends to follow the woof threads, and therefore it is not necessary that the gripping fingers hold the fabric clear across the width thereof. Indeed, it is desirable that the gripping fingers shall not .hold the fabric clear across the width thereof, and in the machine herein illustrated and described, the gripping fingers extend inward from the edge of the fabric for a short distance only.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and l, the same numerals are employed to designate the parts above mentioned, as in Figs. 1 and 1". Rotary tearing member 1 may be considered a skeletonized drum, consisting of end pieces 6 and 7 connected at their corners by angle plates 8, such skeletonized drum being mounted upon a rotary shaft 9 driven as hereinafter described. Said tearing member 1 is adjacent a table 10 over which the fabric is drawn by said drum 1, as the drum rotates. The drum 1 is provided, at diametrically opposite points, with gripping fingers '3, pivoted at 11 and adapted to coact with the adjacent angle plates 8 to grip the fabric. Springs 12 tend to draw these gripping fingers toward the adjacent angle plates 8 and so to grip the fabric between them and said angles plates. At a proper time, each gripping finger 3 is raised or turned back from its corresponding angle plate, by a fixed cam 13 which, in the rotation of the drum 1, engages the projecting rear portion 14 of each gripping finger, so raising that gripping finger and then, as the rear end 14 thereof passes away from the cam 13, permitting that gripping finger to drop upon the fabric. As clearly appears from Fig. 1, such dropping of the gripping finger, and engagement thereof with the fabric, occurs when the gripping finger is near the top of the drum 1 and has just passed the left hand side (as parts are viewed in Fig. 1), on table 10. The gripping finger having gripped the fabric at this point, will necessarily, during the rotation of the drum, draw the fabric over the table 10 and around into proximity to the second rotary tearing member 2. This second rotary tearing member, 2, consists of a sleeve 15 having two extending arms 16 to which are pivotedthe gripping fingers 4. Each of these gripping fingers is provided with a bell crank extension 17 connected by a corresponding link 18 to a disk 19 pivoted to sleeve 15 at 20. This disk 19 is oscillated, at suitable times, by a cam 21, (Fig. 5), to operate the gripping fingers. Such cam 21 is mounted upon the driving shaft 22 hereinafter mentioned, and motion is communicated from this cam to the disk 19 by a follower 23 having a projection working in the groove of the cam, this follower extending transversely of the machine to the opposite side thereof, having sliding bearings in the frame of the machine, and near such opposite side of the machine is provided with an abutment 21 hearing against a pivoted lever 25, which lever, when oscillated, hits one or the other of the two slide rods 26 carried by the sleeve 15 and having sliding bearings in suitable arms 26 of said sleeve, as well as in the arms 16 of said sleeve already mentioned. Links 27 connect the two push rods 26 to the disk 19. The cam 21 is arranged to operate the lever 25 so that the enlarged end 25 will strike the end of one of the slide rods 26 to open the corresponding gripping finger 1, when in the rotation of the tearing member 2 the other gripping finger 4 connected to the other slide rod 26 is in position to grip the cloth on the tearing member 1. From the above it will be seen that the cam 21 operates the lever 25 to engage one of the slide rods 26 when the tearing member 2 reaches the position shown in Fig. 1. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the enlarged end 25 of the lever 25 can only engage one of the slide rode 26 when in the rotation of the tearing member 2 the slide rods 26 alternately come opposite this enlarged end 25*. The oscillation of the disk 19 incident to the opening of the one gripping finger causes the closing of the other gripping finger; and this closing is made rapid, and the gripping finger is caused to hold the fabric tightly, by the action of a spring 28 (Fig. 2) which spring pulls across the center of the disk 19, as shown, and, as the line of effort crosses the center of said disk during the opening of one gripping finger 4, said spring necessarily pulls quite strongly upon the disk, thus causing rapid closing and tight gripping by the other gripping finger 4.

As shown in Fig. 1, each gripping finger the starting of the tear, each gripping finger 4 is provided with a cutting knife 29, which nicks the fabric, at its extreme edge, as that gripping finger descends upon the fabric; the faces of arms 16 of rotary member 2 having notches to receive the cutters 29.

To facilitate the spread of the tear across the fabric the rotary tearing member 2 is caused to reciprocate transversely of the machine, on the shaft 31 on which said sleeve is mounted; such reciprocation being, during the early portion of the tearing operation, in the direction of progress of the tear across the fabric. To so reciprocate said sleeve, the sleeve is provided with a groove 32 engaged by the yoke 33 of a slide member 34, mounted upon a rod 35; the slide member 34 being reciprocated by means of a link 36 connecting that slide member to a crank pin 37 on an arm 38 projecting from the driving shaft 22.

If the fabric is not too wide in proportion to the diameter of rotary tearing members 1 and 2, and in proportion to the length of transverse reciprocation of member 2, nothing further is required to cause the tear to progress to the opposite edge of the fabric; but in general it would be undesirable to so design the machine that, without further means, fabric of the maximum width of which the machine is intended, would be torn clear across by the means so far described; and therefore I have provided additional means for spreading the tear across the fabric, the same comprising arms 39 (Fig. 1) mounted upon a shaft 40, driven as hereinafter described, and provided near their ends with striking rollers 41. The operation of these arms 39 is so timed that when the tearing member 2 has moved to near the upper end of its stroke (as the parts are viewed in Fig. 2) one of these striker rollers 41 will strike the fabric, striking between the two adjacent torn edges of the fabric, and near the apex of the tear, and so spreading the tear across to the farther edge of the fabric.

It will be apparent that a machine in-- suitable bearings on the frame of the ma" chine, and is provided with suitable means for driving it, as for example, the tight and loose pulleys 42 and 43. Rotary tearing member 1 is driven from this shaft 22 by a bevel gear 44 on the shaft 9 of said rotary tearing member 1, and a bevel pinion 45 on a shaft 46 (Fig. 4) connected by gears 47 and 48 with shaft 22. The rotary tearing member 2 is driven from main driving shaft 22 by a bevel gear 49 on the shaft 31 of .rotary tearing member 2, and a bevel pinion 50 on shaft 22. The shaft 40 operating the strikers 41 is driven from shaft 46 by a sprocket chain 51 passing over suitable sprocket wheels on shafts 40 and 46.

It is desirable to provide means for varying the distance between successive tears; and to that end I provide the rotary tearing member 1 with pivoted arms 52 carrying pins 53 (Figs. 2 and 3) adapted to engage the edge portion of the fabric. These arms 52 carry sectors 54 working through clamps 55 having set screws 56 by which the arms 52 may be secured in any position to which those arms may be adjusted. It will be apparent that by adjusting the arms 52 in or out, the length of fabric intervening between successive tears will be decreased or increased, as desired, within considerable limits.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The parts of the machine being in operation each gripping finger 3 of rotary tearing member 1, is first raised, as the rear end 14 of that gripping finger passes underneath the cam 13, and then, as that gripping finger escapes from the cam 13, its spring 12 draws such gripping finger downward, causing it to press the fabric against the adjacent angle plate 8, and so to grip the fabric. The fabric is then drawn on as such gripping finger rotates with the drum 1, until, as such gripping finger reaches a point nearly diametrically opposite the point at which it first gripped the fabric, that fabric is gripped by one of the gripping fingers 4 of rotary tearing member 2. The cutting knife 29 and such gripping finger 4 nicks the edge of the fabric, and then, as gripping fingers 3 and 4 separate, the tearing of the fabric begins, such tearing progressing as the said gripping fingers 3 and 4 separate, and as tearing member 2 reciprocates across the machine in the direction of tear of the fabric. Near the end of such transverse motion of tearing member 2, one of the strikers 41 engages the fabric and spreads thetear across to the opposite side of the fabric while the tearing member 2 slides back to first position.

In another application for Letters Patent filed November 30. 1914, Serial No. 874,626, I have illustrated and described another tearing machine comprising means for tearing material transversely, and comprising also cutting means arranged to cut the material to be torn at the initiation of the tearing operation, also a tearer carriage comprising a fixed clampmg member 111 combination with a pivoted 'gripperfinger to hold the material to be'torn between it and said clamping member, and automatic operating means for said gripper finger, and therefore such inventions 1 herein broadly.

What I claim is 1. A tearing machine comprising two juxtaposed rotary tearing members provided with means for gripping the material to be torn and automatic operating means for said gripping means, caus ng such gripping means to alternately gr1p and release such material.

2. A tearing machine comprising two torn, and two movable tearing means arranged in their movement to alternately approach and recede from one another, one such tearing means arranged in its operation to grip such material and carry the same along, the other said gripping means arranged to grip the material when in close proximity to the said first mentioned gripping means and at a point on the material close to the point at which such first mentioned gripping means grip such material, whereby during the ensuing separation of said gripping means the material will be torn.

5. A tearing machine comprising in combination guide means for the material to be torn, and two movable tearing means arranged in their movement to alternately approach and recede from one another, one such tearing means arranged in its operation to grip such material and carry the same along, the other gripping means ar ranged to grip the material when in close proximity to the said first mentioned gripping means and at a point on the material close to the point at which such first mentioned gripping means grip such material, whereby during the ensuing separation of .said gripping means the material will be torn, and means causing said two gripping means to release the material.

6. A tearing machine comprising two rotary members, a gripping device for each such member movably mounted thereon, and automatic means for opening and closing said gripping devices.

do not claim.

-7. A tearing machine comprising two rotary. members, a gripping device for each such member movably mounted thereon, and cam mechanism for opening and closing said gripping devices.

8 In a teariiig machine, the combination with a guide for material to be torn, of two rotary members each comprising means for gripping the material to be torn, the gripping. means of said two members arranged to approach and recede from each other as said members rotate, the gripping means of one said member arranged to grip the material to be torn near said guide means and then to carry such material into proximity to the gripping means of the other rotary member, the gripping means of such other rotary member arranged to grip the material when in proximity to the gripping means of the first mentioned rotary member, and means carried by the first mentioned rotary member for varying the length of material drawn forward.

9. A tearing machine comprising two j uxtaposed rotary tearing members provided with means for gripping the material to be torn, in combination with means for moving one such tearing member axially during its rotation.

10. A tearing machine comprising two juxtaposed rotary tearing members provided with means for gripping the material to be torn, in combination with means for moving one such tearing member axially during its rotation, and while the material to be torn is gripped by the gripping means of both said tearing members.

11. A tearing machine comprising two juxtaposed rotary tearing members, provided with means for gripping the material to be torn, in combination with means for cutting the edge of such material.

12. A tearing machine comprising two juxtaposed rotary tearing members, pro vided with means for gripping the material to be torn, one of said tearing members provided with means for cutting the edge of the material to be torn.

13. A tearing machine comprising two juxtaposed rotary tearing members comprising means for gripping the material to be torn, in combination with means for striking the material near the point of tear, to spread the tear.

14. A tearing machine comprising two juxtaposed rotary tearing members provided with means for gripping the material to be torn, the gripping means of said two members arranged to approach and recede alternately, in combination with means for striking the material to be torn, near the point of tear, during the recession of said gripping means one from the other, and thereby spreading the tear.

' 1 5. A tearing machine comprising two 10 ing one of said tearing members axially during the recession of the gripping means of said two members one from the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS ALLATT.

Witnesses LEO J. MATTY, D. A. DAVIES.

Copies 0t this patent may be obtained for flve cents each, by addressing the Uommissioner of Patents.

ashtngton, D. G. 

